Vane-type separator



June 30, 1970 a. G. GOLDEN 3,517,486

VANE'TYPE SEPARA'I'OR Filed May 8, 1967 ai /J5 United States Patent 3,517,486 VANE-TYPE SEPARATOR Billy G. Golden, Lewisville, Tern, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Delta P Incorporated, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Delaware lFiled May 8, 1967, Ser. No. 636,914 Int. Cl. B0111 45/08 US. Cl. 55--440 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vane-type separator assembly for the inertial separation of entrained liquid particles from a stream of flowing gases comprises a bolted-together stack of vane subassemblies each of which is essentially a single thickness of sheet material and supplies a series of liquid trap and drainage channels opening at flush surfaces into the Zig- Zag passageways defined by the subassemblies in the vane assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the pending application, Ser. No. 550,379, filed May 16, 1966, now Pat. No. 3,405,511, Edmund J. Halter and Calvin L. Chance disclosed an improved vane-type separator unit. Their separator assembly is characterized by unobstructed flow through narrow zigzag passageways and flush openings into quiescent drainage channels which result in a high level of separating eficiency with low pressure losses. The instant invention enjoys the same advantages and constitutes an improvement in that the structure is simpler and makes possible the construction and use of vane assemblies which are much smaller than those described in the reference application. Thus, the instant invention offers advantages of lower cost and greater separator volumetric efficiency. Additionally, the vane assembly herein shown and described provide convenient and positive means for sealing the sides against bypassing and may readily be disassembled for replacement of a vane subassembly, or other purpose, and reassembled.

These advantages and features of the instant invention comprise its objects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The vane assembly comprises a plurality of individual vane subassemblies, each of which is essentially a single thickness of sheet materials, spaced apart to provide the. zigzag passageways for performance of the separating function and clamped together by means of long bolts to provide the assembly through which the stream of gases to be relieved of entrained liquid particles is conducted. Except for the two outer vane subassemblies which eliminate structure that would interfere with the enclosing side plates and thus with secure sealing against by-passing of the liquid-laden gases, the several subassembly elements are identical and any required number may be employed to supply the capacity desired for a particular application. Each vane subassembly, from the leading edge to the trailing or downstream edge, comprises a series of essentially flat panels, alternate panels being parallel to the general plane of the subassembly and connected by inclined panels which supply the zig-zag configuration. A vertical liquid trap and drainage channel with a slot entrance opening thereinto is provided at each of the alternate parallel panels. Thus, gases with entrained liquid particles flowing through the assembly of the vane subassemblies are subjected to a series of changes in direction of flow, causing the liquid particles to impinge upon the inclined surfaces and flow into the liquid traps to drain into a sump provided below the vane 3,517,486 Patented June 30, 1970 assembly while the gases flow past the slot channel entrances.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing,

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the vane assembly of the invention taken at the line 1-1 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 2 is a top view of the vane assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The vane assembly 1 of this invention, intended for use in a separator such as that shown in the aboveidentified patent application, Ser. No. 550,379, comprises a plurality of vane subassemblies, designated generally by the numeral 7, clamped in spaced relationship to each other by means of bolts 2 between side plates 3 and 4. The bolts pass through holes provided for the purpose in the vane subassemblies, spacer elements 5 being arranged on the bolts and interposed between adjacent panels to hold them apart the desired distance to provide passageways 1a of the desired width. When the nuts 6 are tightened, the vane assembly is a rigid structure.

Each vane subassembly 7 comprises a zig-zag-shaped basic vane element, generally rectangular in shape as shown in FIG. 1, and extending entirely through the vane assembly from the inlet side 8 to the outlet side 9. Each basic vane is formed to provide a series of fiat, narrow, vertical panels, 10, 11, 12, 13, and so one, with repeated cycles. Panels 10 and 12 are inclined in opposite directions to the general plane of the basic vane, and panels 11 and 13 are parallel to the general plane of the basic vane and represent the crests of the zigzag configuration of the vane. Hooked flanges 14 are provided at the crests of the zig-zag basic vane to define, with the crest panels over which they extend, liquid trap and drainage channels 15. The outer surface of book portion 14a of each flange 14 lies in the same plane as the surface of the inclined panel toward which it is directed; e.g., the surface 10a. The hook portions 14a of hooked flanges 14 stop short of the basic vanes to provide slots 16 which extend the full lengths of channels 15 and provide access to the channels. Thus, the channel entrance slots 16 are flush with the vane so that gases flowing through passageways are guided past, rather than into, the channels 15.

Left-handed and right-handed hooked flanges are welded or otherwise fastened to the basic vane to provide the succession of trap and drainage channels on alternating sides of each vane subassembly. The particular vane subassemblies illustrated in the drawing (FIG. 2) are normally provided with seven such trap and drainage channels. The outer subassemblies 17 and 18 of the vane assembly are not provided with the hook flanges on their outer sides, the crest panels which would normally be covered by the flanges abutting the side plates 3 and 4 without interference to provide seals which prevent the passage of gases along past the side plates. As is shown in FIG. 1, and indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 2, two sets 19 and 20 of hook flanges are foreshortened to allow bolts 2 to pass through holes provided for the purpose in the vane subassemblies to clamp the stack of subassemblies in the vane assembly rigidly together with the aid of the spacing elements 5 and without interference from the hooked flanges.

As is clearly seen in the top view of FIG. 2, the stack of vane subassemblies in the vane assembly defines a plurality of Zig-zag passageways. Gases carrying entrained liquid particles are conducted into the separator vane assembly at the inlet side 8 as indicated by arrows 21. The gases, and especially the liquid particles, impinge upon the inclined surfaces of the vane subassemblies, such as surface 100, and a substantial part of the liquid load moves along the inclined panel surfaces of the vane into the first set of liquid trap and drainage channels through the slots providing for such entry. The liquid still remaining in the gas stream then impinges upon the succeeding surfaces of the vane subassemblies on the opposite sides of the passageways and additional liquid is trapped and drained through the next set of channels. This process is continued until the gases emerge from the outlet side 9 of the vane assembly comparatively free of entrained liquid.

The advantages of the simplicity, and, therefore, the low cost, of the vane structure herein described will be recognized by those skilled in the art. The flat crest panels of the subassemblies provide space for the liquid drainage channels and also bearing surfaces for the spacer elements and side plates for the very satisfactory clamping of the assembly together into a rigid structure which permits no bypassing of gases along the sides of the vane assembly. The flush drainage channel entrances minimize turbulence within the channels to permit efficient drainage of trapped liquid and minimize turbulence of the gaseous flow in the passageways to minimize pressure loss on passage of the stream of gases through the vane assembly.

I claim:

1. A vane assembly for a separator for the removal of liquid particles entrained in gaseous streams comprising a plurality of vane subassemblies arranged in spaced parallel juxtaposition to provide zig-zag passageways therebetween, each vane subassemby comprising a basic vane having a series of substantially flat, narrow panels formed and arranged to provide a generally zigzag configuration for said basic vane, alternate panels being inclined and connecting crest panels which are parallel to the general plane of said basic vane, hooked flanges affixed to inclined panels of said basic vane and extending in upstream direction over said crest panels in spaced relation thereto to define liquid trap and drainage channels therewith at the inside of each turn in each passage way, the edges of the hook portions of said hooked flanges being spaced from said basic vane to define slots for access to said channels, the outer surfaces of said hook portions of said hooked flanges being coplanar with the surface of the inclined panel of said basic vane immediately adjacent said slots; and means for rigidly clamping the vane assembly together, said means comprising bolts extending through aligned holes in said crest panels of said basic vanes, spacer elements interposed between adjoining subassemblies and engaging said basic vanes, and a side plate arranged on each side of the vane assembly, the outer sides of the vane subassemblies on each side of said assembly being free of hooked flanges whereby alternate crest panels directly engage said side plates to prevent the flow of gases therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,803,854 5/1931 Kniskern 440 1,916,528 7/1933 Raymond 55-442 1,956,591 5/1934 Gies 55440 2,643,736 6/1953 Smith 55-440 1,928,706 4/1930 'Sillers.

3,358,580 12/1967 Freese et al.

FRANK W. LUTTER, Primary Examiner B. NOZICK, Assistant Examiner 

